Karasi of Pelnora

Stained (Retold Prompt)

My step mother sat, transfixed by a scene outside her window. Approaching her, I spoke softly, "Mistress Helita?"

The cautious approach became futile when startled and a bowl spilled from her hands. It clattered to the floor in a splattering of broken china and red soup. Enticing a guttural moan of disgust and anger from my stepmother as she jumped up from her seat.

I quickly bent to clean up the mess as my stepsister rushed into the room. At a glance, Pasheem wore a snicker above crossed arms.

Observing the scene more, Pasheem's eyes widened at her mother and I frowned as I turned to look as well. My eyes darted to Helita's neck just as Pasheem exclaimed, "Oh, mother! Your scarf! She's ruined it."

Glaring down at me, Helita whipped the red-stained scarf off, slinging soup particles across the room in the process, and shoved it into my face. "Quickly you rotten girl! Take it now and wash it, right now! Go!"

Clutching the scarf, I scrambled to my feet and rushed out of the room. As I exited the hallway, Pasheem reappeared with a hamper full of her own clothes. She sneered, "Didn't think you were getting off that easy, did you?," and shoved the hamper into my arms.

Within a few minutes, I saddled up to a rock along the river and set about washing the various items. Accustomed to the task, it didn't take long, but as I was setting out Pasheem's clothes to dry, I observed a group of boys enter the clearing in frantic play. I called out to them "Where are my young Lords' crowns this afternoon?"

Turning at the sudden intrusion, their faces lit up as they ran over to my rock. As the clothes dried, I set about enthralling them with stories as we weaved twigs and leaves into crowns.

Smiling as they left, I waved after them and returned to the laundry. But, as I finished packing up, I realized the scarf was missing. I looked around frantically before asking an older woman near the stream, If she'd seen it. She answered that it may have been the item she had seen floating down the stream.

Hauling the basket with me, I hopelessly followed and scanned the stream. A fisherman, along the way, informed me that an old woman had pulled something similar out of the water a little while before. He concluded by gesturing to a small cabin nearby.

On the second knock on her door, an older woman appeared. I apologetically asked her about the scarf. To my relief, she agreed to return the scarf in exchange for a few chores.

The old woman proved to be quite the knowledge bank and would intercept my work with stories, anecdotes, and random bits of history. I rather enjoyed her company as it brought back memories of my father and the fun we used to have before he passed. So, at the risk of punishment, I did not rush through the tasks.

Upon completing the chores, the woman retrieved the scarf and placed three parcels before me.

She told me that "as a thank you" for my help, I needed to pick a box, but could not open it until I returned home. Before I could decline, she said I could not have the scarf unless I took a gift with me. Picking the tiniest of the three, I hugged her, and told her I'd visit her again soon.

She handed me the scarf, "I forbid you to return here. But I assure you, this is not the last time we shall meet, young Karasi." Smiling knowingly, she shut the door gently behind me as I stared, slightly hurt.

I lugged the items back home and was scolded for taking so long. Finally getting a moment to speak, I told Helita what happened and she became even more furious for my stupidity of being manipulated by an old witch. I began to argue, but she back-handed me, startling me to the floor.

Infuriated and upset, I kicked the basket towards her and it spilled. The tiny brown box rolled out with the clothes. Pasheem quickly snatched it from the floor. Removing the lid, her eyes lit up and she squealed, "Mother, it's a necklace!"

Helita turned quickly. Greedily admiring it, she commented "Not that pretty, but it looks expensive". Then her eyes became daggers as she glared at me, "you idiot! Why did you not choose the big box?"

Before I could respond, she hushed me and sent me to my room. As I left, I could hear them conspiratorially whispering, but feeling the aches in my body, I decided I should get rest before whatever fresh trouble they brewed up for me.

The next morning, I awoke to a quiet house and a note saying that I should have lunch ready for them once they returned. I spent the day doing chores and even found a free moment to visit with Dr. Grosnik next door.

By late afternoon, there was a knock at the front door. Opening it, I was greeted by an officer who explained to me that my step mother and sister had been violently attacked by venomous snakes while out in the woods.

Their past cruelties did not keep me from crying the rest of the afternoon. So my neighbors took turns dropping in to comfort me. But, unbeknownst to my neighbors, I had a secret.

For the officers had also returned the items Helita and Pasheem had with them. And though it caught me off guard that they had been out doing laundry, what really vexed me were the boxes also in the basket.

At that moment, I recalled the woman's warning not to open the box before I got home, and my body chilled realizing one of the boxes was missing a lid. It was with hesitant hands that I stowed away the medium sized box, afraid to even peak inside.